Multiple-needle weft detector for looms



R. s. HOLLAND MULTIPLE NEEDLE WEFT DETECTO-R FOR LOOMS Dec. 14 1926. 1,610,526

Filed May 25, 1926 Kok/ 5 Z//am/ y Patented 14,

UNET 1f? EGBERTS S.

MASSACHUSETTS.

HOLLAND, GF FASCOG, 12E-101321! KNOW'LES LOOM V'GRKS, OF XWORCESTER, MA

MULTIPLEEFDLE W'EFT DETECTGR FR EilVJIS.

Application filed May 25,

This invention relates to multiple needle weft detectors for looms of the general type shown in the patentby nyon No. 1,221,768 and it is the general object of the invention to provide a nest of springs conveniently mounted so as to be readily applicable to a weft detector of the type specified to tension individually each of the needle detectors.

Detectors of the type referred to employ a plurality of .individually movable detector needles arranged preferably in a straight line and cooperating with bobbins having holes spirally arranged so that at substantial exhaustion at least one of the holes will be entered by a detector. As a full bobbin moves forwardly or at the time 0f transfer, the detectors are moved from their normal position and must be restored to normal rear position, this result being accomplished in various ways as by means of a single resilient plate engaging all of the detectors as set forth in Patent No. 1,221,768 or by means of spring` plungers of the type shown in Patent No. 1,496, 367. It has also been prov posed as set forth in Patent'No. 1,583,135 to provide a plurality of weights, one for each detector. It is highly desirable to tension each detector separately because as a. rule only one detector will be opposite anopening. all the others being pushed forwardly on the indicating beat of the loom by a solid part of the bobbin and unless some device is provided to hold the indicating needle rearwardly it will be pushed forwardly by an amount of yarn insuflicient for continued weaving.

The weights of they last named patent, while operating satisfactorily, add weight to the detector and require that a pivotal support for all the weights be supplied. 1t is a further object of my invention to provide individual tension for each detector by means of a device which can be applied readily to constructions already in use and so arranged that a slight angular movement of the support will vary the pressure.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a nest of flat springs all mounted on a single device. each spring being relatively long but bent back upon itself so as to occupy a comparatively small space, the length of th-e springs permitting considerable latitude of movement on the part of the detectors without deforming the springs.

i926. Serial NO. 111,65".

1t is found in multi-color weft replenishing looms that it is necessary to withdraw the detectors on the transferring piek and l further provide for applying the pressure of the springs previously mentioned to the detectors at a point in alignment with the withdrawing means so that any strain resulting from the s arings will be passed on to the withdrawing means and will not serve to deform the relatively light needle detectors.

`With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings wherein l have shown a convenient embodiment of my invention,

Fig. .1 is a side elevation of a detector embodying my invention, parts of the de* tector being in section and the shuttle and bobbin also being in section,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the detector looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation taken in the direetion of arrow 3, Fig. 1.

Fig. e is an enlarged detail horizontal section looking downwardly along line i-e of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal sec* tion on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings it will be 'seen that l have provided a stand 10 which may be secured in any approved manner to the framework of the loom (not shown) and may be similar' to the corresponding parts illustrated in the aforementioned patents. A support 11 is secured to the stand by means of bolt 12 and has an upstanding arm 13 which is slotted as at 14. An actuator lever 15 extends into the slot and by means of mechanism not shown has a downward movement in said slot on each detecting beat Vof the loom. rlhe support 11 is provided with rib 1e and a forwardly extending arm 17 adjacent the upper end thereof.

fr detector carrier 1S is notched as at 19 to receive therib 1G and is held yeldingly in position by means of a spring 2O which surrounds stud 21 passing through the sup# the carrier to hold the latter' yieldingly in rearward position as indicated in Fig. 1. Sai-d carrier has a rearwardly extending leg 22 and an upstanding arm 23, said leg and arm being drilled to receive a plurality of detector needles 24 which are of the shape shown in Fig. 1, having a. yarn engaging lower end which enters the shuttle to detect the condition of filling and having a shorter upper controller end 26 which cooperates with the aforesaid actuator lever 15.

Each needle detector is provided with a vertical forward portion 27 and in order to withdraw said detector on the transferring pick I extend behind each of the vertical portions 27 a pin 23 which is secured to a withdrawing plate 29 slotted as at 30 to receive a stud 31 mounted on transferrer arm 32. The rear end of said plate 29 is slotted as at 33 to receive a supporting and guiding screw 34 threaded into the support 11 as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

rIhe shuttle S is provided with a bobbin B and a slot 35, the barrel of the bobbin being provided with a plurality of spirally disposed holes 36 as set forth either in Fat-A ent No. 1,220,685 to Ryon or No. 1,337,706 to Jenckes.

On each detecting forward beat of the lay the bobbin will be presented to the detector ends 25 and so long as suflicient yarn is present all the detectors will be moved forwardly to carry the controller ends 26 from under the actuator lever 15 and permit the latter to descend without interruption. Vslhen the yarn is depleted to an extent rendering replenishment desirable one of the detector ends 25 will enter the corresponding opening 36 in the bobbin and will not be moved forwardly and the corresponding controller end 26 will therefore lie under the actuator lever 15 and the latter, being prevented from descending normally, will indicate the weft replenishing mechanism (not shown) for a change of weft. The matter thus far described may be as set forth in the previously mentioned patents.

In carryingout my invention I provide means for individually tensioning the detector needles 24 so that the-detector can be used with equal facility with yarns of varying sizes. Accordingly, I provide a bracket 50 having a horizontal arm 51 and spaced inner and outer horizontal portions 52 and 53, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. A bolt 54 extends through the arm 17 and both of the horizontal portions 52 and 53, a nut 55 being supplied to tighten the bracket in place in .angular position relatively to the arm 17. The natural resilience of the arms 52 anc 53, which are preferably of sheet steel, cooperates with the check nut 55 to hold the angular adjustment. Said parts may be as shown in detail in Fig. 5, where in it will be seen that the arm 1i. is threaded to receive the bolt 54 and that the latter has a slotted head 56 to assist in setting the check nut 55.

I provide also a top plate 57 the under side lof which has secured thereto a leather pad 58, the plate and pad being held to the horizontal arm 51 by means of screws or other suitable fastening means 59. Clampcd between the leather pad and the horizontal arm 51 is a plurality of leaf springs 66 having the general forni indicated in Fig. 1, each spring having a rearwardly extending bent portion 61 and a .econd forwardly extending bent portion 62 and a lower forked end 63 which receives the corresponding detector 24. For any given pressure desired on the needle detectors there will be a corresponding angular position of the bracket relatively to the arm 1'? and if it is desired to increase this pressure the bracket can be turned to the left or given a counterclockwise movement from the position shown in Fig. 1, but if the pressure is to be reduced then the opposite adjustment -of the bracketcan be made.

t will be observed from Fig. 1 that the ends of the springs lie opposite the withdrawingl pin 2S so that the upright portions 27 of the detectors are freed from any strain which might otherwise be placed upon them because of the springs. IVhile this construction is desirable, yet I do not consider it essential and am not necessarily restricted to using the form of withdrawing means set f orth herein. As previously suggested there are a number of detectors in use having supports lof the general form shown herein and I am able to substitute my nest of springs for the solid plate shown in Patent No. 1,549,960 by using the old supports and clamping my bracket thereto. At the time of transfer the transferrer arm will be moved to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1, thus moving the detectors 24 forwardly to the position indicated through the action of pin 28.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very convenient nest of leaf springs which can be readily applied to forms `of multiple needle detectors now in use and it will further be seen that each spring is provided with a plurality of bends which permits a relatively long spring to be housed in a comparatively small space, the springs being very resilient and bending easily to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1, when required to do so, without being deformed. It will also be seen that the withdrawing pin 28 and forked ends yof tho springs are so placed as to relieve the upright portion of the detectors 24 of any strain which might otherwise interfere with their proper operation. Furthermore. by making a slight angular adjustment of the bracket 50 I am able to vary the pressure of lltl thev detectors so that the latter can 4operate with equal efiiciency either with heavy or fine' yarns and that the bent end of the bracket cooperates with the holding means because of its natural resilience to hold the adjustment.

Having thus described my invention it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate vith a perforated bobbin, a support for the detectors with respect to which the latter are movable, a plurality of resilient devices, one for each needle detector, acting to move said detectors toward the b-obbin to be detected, a common mounting for all of said resilient devices, and means to change the angular position of the mounting with respect to the support.

2. In a weft detector vfor looms having' a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a supportfor the detectors with respect to which the latter are movable, a plurality of resilient means, one for each needle detector, tending to move said detectors toward the bobbin to be detected, a mounting common to all the means carried by the support, and a device to change the angular position of the mounting,l with respect to the support to vary the pressure of the resilient means against the needle detectors.

3. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a. support for the detectors with respect to which the latter are movable, a nest of springs, one for each needle detector, a common mounting for all the springs, and means to hold the mountingto the support in any one of a plurality of different angular positions, each different angular position causing a different pressure between the springs and the needles.

4. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the' detectors with respect to which the latter are movable, an arm er:- tending from the support, a bracket, means passing' through the arm. to hold the bracket thereto in any one of a plurality of angular positions, and a set of springs carried by and movable with the bracket, there being one spring` for each needle detector, a change in the angular position of the bracket with respect to the arm producing a corresponding change in the pressure exerted by the springs against the detectors.

5. In a weft detector for looms having` a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the needles with respect to which the latter are movable, an arm eX- tending from the support, a bracket, means pa. sine' through the arm to hold the bracket thereto any one of a plurality of adjusted positions, and a sets of .springs carried by and movable with the bracket, there being` one spring for each needle detector, a change in the angular position of the bracket with respect to the arm producing a corresponding,` change in the pressure exerted by the springs against the detectors, said bracket beine,- formed of resilient material and being held to the opposite sides of the arm by said means.

6. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the detectors with respect to which the latter are movable', a plurality of springs, one engaging' each detector, a common mounting for th-e springs fixed with respect to the support, each spring being bent back upon itself at a plurality of points, whereby a. relatively long spring may be confined in a comparatively small v space.

7. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the needles with respect to which the latter are movable, a plurality of springs, one engaging each detector, a common mounting` for the springs iiX-ed with respect to the support, each spring being' bent back upon itself at a point intermediate the detector engaging end thereof and the point of attachment with the mounting.

8. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the needles with respect to which the latter are movable, a pluralitv of springs, one for each detector, and a common mounting for the springs fixed with respect to the support, the free end of each spring, beingl forked to receive a portion of the corresponding needle detector, the springv holding the detectors vieldingly in bobbin engaging position.

9. In a weft detector for looms having a plurality of individually movable needle detectors to cooperate with a perforated bobbin, a support for the needles with respect to which the latter are movable, withdrawing` means normally lined with respect to the support, and resilient means, one eneach detector, the resilient means operatine,- on the detectors at points opposite the withdrawingr means, whereby the pres-- sure of the resilient means is transmitted through the detectors to the withdrawing tectors and :L bracket to which the springs are secured, said bracket having provision 10 for attachment and angular adjustment With respect to the support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto uffixed my signature.

ROBERT s. HOLLAND. 

